How one atheist sees life

All The World Is A Stage …

And we are merely players.

Have you heard about Ophelia Benson who blogs at Butterflies and Wheels? She received what might have or might not have been a threat with regard to her attendance at TAM, so tweeted that she wasn’t going to go. Clearly she wanted the world to know that she is not going and why she isn’t going. Well, good for her. Personally I don’t care what meetings she goes to, nor what she had for lunch, how she decides what shoes to buy… or any of the billions of inane pieces of information about her life.

Wait, tweets don’t matter? Nope.

This one tweet gave far too many people a chance to pop off about what other people ought to be doing, what kind of security should be at gatherings and how they should be run, what a threat is and is not, why to not go to TAM and why to go anyway. Seriously, gossiping about it in public is the best way to solve any situation in your life.

I haven’t heard anyone offering to collect money for extra security at TAM. I’ve not heard anyone offer to set up escort/body guards for female attendees of atheist conferences. Lots of talk, no action … not that we can see anyway. It’s about as effective as living next door to a kennel full of barking dogs and complaining that the rooster they have makes too much noise.

Does anyone know of any atheist/humanist/freethinker event that hasn’t caused drama? Maybe these people should see what those groups did to avoid it, and then, you know, share that information with other groups and organizers.

I won’t be going to TAM either. Not because I don’t want to be approached while I’m alone on an elevator or inappropriately addressed by a famous atheist, and not even because I have been threatened. It’s not even just because I don’t want to spend too much time with a bunch of people hyper-focused on telling others how to behave and berating anyone with testicles. I’m not going because I have bills to pay. If I don’t work, I can’t pay them.

Why would I bother to burden my budget, use up my holidays, and travel out of my way to experience the ambiance of all that bitching? Are you going to TAM? Let me know in the comments….

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You realize Stephanie Zvan, one of those barking dogs you hate so much, has in fact been writing about ways that atheist orgs could better implement anti-harassment policies. You probably didn’t read about them because you’re an idiot. But that’s ok. You can fix your idiocy by reading a little bit about the people you’re criticizing before opening your mouth. Hard work, I know but necessary.

Thanks for your input. Does that mean you’re going to TAM? Oh, and thanks for just one more reason to not want to be part of ‘the atheist community’ … whatever the fuck that is.

By the by, I did not name any names. If you’re feeling a bit sensitive, perhaps you should see a doctor or therapist about that. Ignorance might be fixed by reading while idiocy is likely a life long condition… but I probably don’t need to explain that as you’ve probably already been informed about your condition. I can’t wait till there are mandatory anti-harassment policies that deal with women, one or two that deal with GLBTQ, and maybe special policies for those of faith. Policies don’t have any real meaning without the ability to enforce them. Once you have enforcement resources you’ll need nothing more than current law. Why do you think concerts and sports events are so expensive?

Last, I don’t need to read anything about anyone when I hear them bitching to know that they are bitching. Even if its a single comment among thousands. Clearly, if I had forgotten this your comment serves as poignant reminder.

Your point is taken, yet I parry. My verse does not lay still and malignant absent of TAM. I need not visit with Yorrick whilst ducking slings and arrows of harassing discontent to know that the grand play has seen my humble verse and the players will ignore it with passion. Hamlet knows, I walk amid the world as a ghost, and it is Hamlet who I must needs bother.

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